Apple is apparently considering switching to a new supplier of modem chips for its iPhone devices. According to a recent report from Bloomberg, the company is considering replacing Intel with MediaTek as its secondary supplier of smartphone modem chips.
Meanwhile, anonymous industry sources told Digitimes that Apple is keen to reduce its reliance on its main modem chip supplier, Qualcomm. The company won’t make a final decision until it reaches an understanding with MediaTek on “product roadmap, technology development and collaborative efforts”, the sources said.
Intel is currently Apple’s secondary supplier of modem chips. It has been reported for some time that Intel processors will be phased out of the company’s MacBook products starting in 2020, in favour of new hardware developed in-house.
It’s also believed that MediaTek will supply Apple with customised Wi-Fi chips for the company’s HomePod product range. MediaTek recently announced its Helio M70 5G modem chip, capable of transmitting data at speeds of up to 5Gbps.
